Ben Stiller Dancing With ‘Chippendales’; Alan Ball Pic Being Shopped With Weinstein Co In Pole Position

Ben Stiller is in early talks to take a lead role in I Am Chippendales, a movie that Alan Ball wrote and will direct that’s being shopped right now. The Weinstein Company is the favorite to make a deal on the film. It’s an adaptation of the Rodney Sheldon book that sounds like a mix between Magic Mike and Scarface. Chippendales tells the story of Steve Banerjee, an immigrant who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales. As the male-stripper concept became a phenomenon in the 1980s at the height of the women’s lib movement, Banerjee was consumed by excess and competition. After hiring a New York choreographer to polish the all-male dance troupe, he became wildly rich, and just as paranoid. Banerjee hired a hitman to murder the choreographer when negotiations went sour. After being arrested, Banerjee died in jail awaiting trial. Stiller will play the choreographer.

David Permut, Alan Ball and Adam Brawer will produce. David Beitchman of Sentinel Pictures, Peter Saphier, Sheldon and Permut Presentation’s Chris Mangano will serve as executive producers. The film will be a co-production between Permut Presentations, Sentinel Pictures and Your Face Goes Here Entertainment.

Stiller wrapped Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young opposite Naomi Watts and is shooting Night At The Museum 3. He’s repped by WME.

Permut has been trying to get this movie made for years… not to mention,as has many other producers… year after year after year. And you think stiller can make it happen? Please. Time has passed it by…that simple. it’s an old,stale, worn concept

M. • on Mar 31, 2014 6:22 pm

“Time has passed it by”? I think the word you’re looking for is “perseverance”. Something “new” Hollywood can’t quite grasp. ” Insider” why don’t ya go find a two bit starlet and package up a remake of something classic. Ruin it forever. And when you’re talkin’ crap about men who have made more movies then you’ve seen, consider capitalizing their names?

MexyMartini • on Mar 31, 2014 4:03 pm

Was the choreographer tiny??

vherre craig • on Mar 31, 2014 4:23 pm

Ben you are a chippendale/!!!!

jeff • on Mar 31, 2014 4:48 pm

Great casting.

ive read the script,,,,and its a hell of a story, and great-serious role for BEN..

J

Samnyc • on Mar 31, 2014 4:58 pm

this is bordering on pathetic.
Can’t anyone tell Ben that he’s 50 year old comedian..and that he should just stick with making the Adam Sandler choices because he’s never going to be taken ‘seriously’ as an actor or director..and the fact he’s going to play the ‘choreographer?’.. it just sounds like a skit or thrown out idea from Zoolander.
Same goes to TWC.. who Soderbergh & Tatum gave first dibs to distribute Magic Mike in the US..and Harvey sent an underling to watch a day of shooting who didn’t think there was any ‘potential’ and so they passed.

Walter Palmer • on Mar 31, 2014 5:28 pm

Steve Banerjee wasn’t a choreographer, he MURDERED a choreographer.

Must have been written by an agent…. • on Apr 1, 2014 12:57 pm

“Can’t anyone tell Ben that he’s 50 year old comedian..and that he should just stick with making the Adam Sandler choices because he’s never going to be taken ‘seriously’ as an actor or director…” – this is the funniest thing I ever! Yes, Ben Stiller, please, look at Adam Sandler’s career to be taken seriously!!!! Who’s desk at Gersh or ICM are you at, Samnyc?!

fetch my coffee insider • on Mar 31, 2014 8:37 pm

Hey insider, apparently you don’t get the biz – stuff like this happens all the time; but looks like there’s a true hustler that hasn’t given up pitching this thing until it gets made. Good work whoever you are.

As someone who enjoyed Permanent Midnight, I’d be happy to see Stiller approach something darker again. He’s a talented performer and actor, who seems content to do silly comedy roles. I really hope that this project comes to fruition.

robstone • on Mar 31, 2014 10:37 pm

Four people will go to see this movie, and three of them will be the producer’s family. There’s a reason this never got made, and it has to do idea that no one on earth is interested. Also: Isn’t Ben, over 50, a wee bit old for this???? Again, who is this intended for?

cam • on Apr 1, 2014 12:51 pm

Did you read the article? I believe it says that Ben Stiller and the Weinstein Company are interested… are they interested in anything you are working on? Are you also familiar with the role Ben Stiller is playing? I believe Ben’s 48 years old, and the role he’s playing, Nick DeNoia, was 46 when shoot by the hit man hired by Steve Banerjee – all information available with a simple google search…. Ben seems right in there, but hey, I guess that means you have to know what your talking about…

Frank calzone • on Apr 4, 2014 2:08 pm

What about permuts old glorified tiny assistant Steven A. Longi no co-producer gift credit for him? He must be in production on the Raul Julia Jr feature…